Car-coupling.



No.-65l,5|3. Patented lune l2, I900. v E. B. REED.

DAR COUPLING. (Applicafion filed June 6, 1899.)

(No Model.)

7H5 Npmzxs PETERS co. vno'mumo WASHINGTON. n. c.

'NITED STAT S:

PATENT ()FFICE.

ELMER B. REED, OF MCDONALD, PENNSYLVANIA.

' CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent no. 651,513, dated June 12, ieoo. Application filed June 6, 1899. Serial No. 719,547. (No m'odel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, ELMER'B. REED, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at McDonald, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Oouplings; and I do hereby declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings. Y

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of that class of carcouplings employing a pivoted knuckle and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and effl cient device adapted when released, to open the knuckle automatically and reset the lock ing-pin, and thereby arrange the parts in position for automatic coupling.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and'poin'ted out in the claims'hereto appended.

In {the drawings, Figure lis a 'plan view showing two draw-heads constructed in accordancewith this invention,the knuckles of one of the draw-heads beingopen and the parts arranged for automatic coupling. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of one ofthe draw-heads. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of the same. Fig. 4is a transverse sectional view on line ac of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the springactuated plunger. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the vertically-movable locking device. Fig.

8 is a detail view of the lifting-bar.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a draw-bar provided at one side of its draw-head 2 with eyes for the reception of a knuckle-pin 4, which pivots a knuckle 3 to the draw-head. The knuckle 3 is provided with anarm 5, which has a recess 3 at its extremity,-and within the draw head and draw-bar is arranged a' longitudinallyreciprocating spring-actuated plunger 6, having a longitudinal opening 6, through which the arm 5 of the knuckle is adapted to swing.

The plunger 6, which is arranged centrally of the draw-head and which extends into the draw-bar, as shown, is actuated by a coiled spring 7, interposed between the rear end of the plunger and the rear end of the draw-bar and housed within the latter. The outerend of the plunger is provided with an outwardlyexte'n'ding angularly-disposed projection 9, and it has flanges 9 and 10 at its top and corresponding flanges 9 and 10' at the bottom, and-these flanges form continuations of the front faces of the plunger and the projection 9. 'When the knuckle is in its closed position, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, the flanges and the projection of the front end of the plunger fit snugly within a recessed portion of the front of the draw-head, and when the knuckle is open, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, the plunger is in position to be engaged by the knuckle of another draw-head,

whereby it will be operated when two cars a recess 11, forming a shoulder at its inner end for engaging an arm or finger of a rock-shaft 28, hereinafter described. The plunger is provided at one side of the recess with a laterally-oflset portion 13, having a tapered or beveled front end and adapted to support a vertically-movable locking device 15in an elevated position preparatory to au- ,matic coupling.

' The locking device 15, which consists of an oblong'block or piece, is provided at its front or o'uter face with an offset 18, and it has a pair of vertical guide ribs or flanges 19 and 20 at its rear face. .The guide ribs or flanges 19 and 20 terminate short of the bottom of the locking device, which is provided at one side with a vertical guide rib or flange 21, extending the entire length of the locking device. The lower end of the locking device is provided with a slot or bifurcation 22, and the horizontal lug 23, which is arranged in alinement with the slot or bifurcation, extends forward or outward from the upper end thereof. The top and bottom of the draw head are provided with openings corresponding to the upper and lower portions of the locking device, which is cut away at one side of its lower portion to form a recess 22 to reis designed to be connected with any suitable mechanism for efiecting the operation of uncoupling, as hereinafter explained.

The draw-head is provided at opposite sides with bearings 26 and 27, depending from its lower face and receiving the transverse rockshaft 28, which extends laterally from the said bearings, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings. This rockshaft has fixed to it a downwardly-extending arm or finger 29, which projects into the slot 25 of the lifting-bar 24, whereby the latter is adapted when elevated to rock the shaft. The rock-shaft is also provided with an intermediate arm or finger 80, arranged to extend through an opening of the bottom of the draw-head and project above the said bottom, whereby it is adapted to be oscillated by the shoulder 12 of the spring-actuated plunger. When the knuckle is closed, it may be readily opened and the parts set for auto.

matic coupling by simply raising the liftingbar 24, which rotates the rock-shaft suffieiently to raise the offset of the catch above the arm of the knuckle, which will be opened automaticallybythe outward movement of the spring-actuated plunger. The beveled portion of the plunger engages the beveled portion of the catch and holds the latter in an elevated position. The continued outward movement of the plunger carries the shoulder 1.2 into engagement with the arm or finger of the rock-shaft and swings the same below the plane of the upper face of the bottom of the draw-head. The spring-actuated plunger will operate in this manner to open the knuckle entirely and maintain the catch in an elevated position preparatory to automatic coupling should the car-coupling of another car not entirely open the knuckle in leaving the same. The plunger will also prevent the knuckle from being accidentally closed, and it obviates the necessity of going between cars to open the knuckle.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, such as varying the means for actuating the reciprocating plunger.

\Vhat is claimed is-- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination with a draw-head, and draw-bar, of a spring-actuated plunger arranged within the draw-bar The upper end of the liftingand provided at one end with a projection, a knuckle pivotally mounted on the draw-bar and having an arm arranged to swing within the plunger, a shaft journaled in suitable bearings at the lower face of the draw-head,

and provided with a series of arms, a catch mounted in the draw-head and arranged to be engaged by the plunger and by an arm of the rock-shaft, a lifting-bar mounted in the draw-head and arranged to engage one of the arms of the rock-shaft and adapted to rotate the latter to release the plunger, and means carried by the plunger for engaging another of the said arms to return the rock-shaft to its initial or inoperative position, substantially as described.

2. In a car=coupling, the combination of a draw-bar, and draw-head, 'a spring-actuated plunger arranged therein and provided at its outer end with a projection, a knuckle piv-' otally mounted on the draw-head and having an arm arranged to swing through the plunger, a catch arranged in the draw-head in position to be engaged by the plunger and adapted to lock the knuckle in its closed position, a shaft j on rnaled on the draw-head at the bottom thereof and providedwith an arm 31, ar= ranged to engage and elevate the catch, a lifting-bar, an arm 29 extending from the shaft and arranged to be engaged by the lifting-bar, whereby the shaft will be rotated when the lifting-bar is elevated, and an arm 30 also mounted on the shaft and arranged to be actuated by the plunger to swing the said arms 29 and 31 to an inoperative 'posi tion, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a hollowdraw-bar and draw-head, a spring-actuated plunger mounted therein, a knuckle pivoted to the draw-head, a catch mounted in the draw-head and provided with guide flanges or ribs and having an offset portion for engaging the arm of the knuckle,- said catch being provided with a projecting lug, a lifting-bar, connections between the lifting bar and the catch, whereby the latter will be elevated when the former is raised, and means carried by the plunger for returning the said connections to their initial position, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head having a pivoted knuckle,- a vertically-movable catch for locking the knuckle in its closed position, a reciprocatingplunger arranged to engage the catch to hold the same in an elevated position, a lifting-bar and a rock-shaft provided with arms connected with the lifting-bar and the catch and adapted to elevate the latter when the former is raised, said rock-shaft being also provided with an arm adapted to be engaged by the plunger to return the rock-shaft to its initial position, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, provided at opposite sides with vertical openings, a knuckle pivoted to one side of the draw-head, a catch mounted in one of the said openings and arranged to en- In testimony whereof I have hereunto at gage the arm of the knuckle, a lifting-bar fixed my signature in the presence of two sub 10 mounted in the other opening of the drawscribing Witnesses. head, a rock-shaft connecting the lifting-bar I and the catch, and a reciprocating plunger ELMER REED arranged to engage the rock-shaft and return Witnesses:

the same to its initial position, substantially JOHN GROETZINGER,

as described. WM. T. HERRMANN. 

